Download DROID: file format identification tool

DROID is a software tool developed by The National Archives to perform automated batch identification of file formats. Developed by our Digital Preservation department as part of its broader digital preservation activities, DROID is designed to meet the fundamental requirement of any digital repository to be able to identify the precise format of all stored digital objects, and to link that identification to a central registry of technical information about that format and its dependencies.

DROID uses internal signatures to identify and report the specific file format and version of digital files. These signatures are stored in an XML signature file, generated from information recorded in the PRONOM technical registry. New and updated signatures are regularly added to PRONOM, and DROID can be configured to automatically download updated signature files.

Current version

Please note that as part of our ongoing website redesign, it has been necessary to change the URI locations for the DROID signature files. This means that, with the current DROID release, you may encounter an error when the application attempts to check for updated signature files. This will normally occur when:

Support

User support is available from our Google Groups discussion page. Bug-fixes, feature requests, and code support should be raised through our GitHub issues page. We welcome contributions of new formats and format signatures to the PRONOM registry. If you wish to contribute, please use our online form. Signature Files and their release notes can be found below: